What I Read in October

Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bojilian – ★★★★ – This has got to be one of the oddest book plots I’ve read. A homeless girl living in an igloo in Vermont, both of her parents are dead, and it was all their fault. As the daughter as the most hated man, she’s left to pick up the pieces. What’s so tragic about this story is this poor girl is spinning out of control, and there’s no one that can help her. A really captivating read that pulls at your emotions for poor Emily.c/o Netgalley

Nestby Esther Ehrlich – ★★★★ – This is a little younger than I typically read (Middle Grade) but honestly, you wouldn’t have known this was meant for younger young people. I really enjoyed this sweet yet very sad and tragic story. It’s about a girl who’s faced with tragedy – first her mother is diagnosed with a debilitating disease, then begins having mental health problems and is institutionalized. The voice is really strong, and the characters just break your heart.c/o Netgalley

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver – ★★★ – This book had a really creative premise – it starts out with the death of the main character, and she re-lives her “ending” 7 times. However, something about this just felt weird and I didn’t totally get into it until the end. It’s really hard to stay tuned in for the first half of the book, but once it gets going you can get past some of the “teen drama” brought at the beginning. A solid three stars.

The Heiresses by Sara Shepard – ★★ – After reading the Pretty Little Liars series, also by Sara Shepard, I was excited to see what was in store with this one. I’m not sure if this is written by someone else pretending to be her or what, but this was NOTHING like PLL. Seriously. This does not read like a YA. There are so many characters in this book I couldn’t keep all of them and their families straight. Basically, I stuck it out, but this was not a book I would recommend.c/o Edelweiss

The Book of You by Claire Kendal – ★★★★ – Oh my gosh, this was so creepy. This is a thriller, about a man who is stalking a woman, whom he’s created (in his mind) an elaborate relationship with. Clarissa writes the Book of You to him, her stalker, and catalogs all of his run ins with her. Paralleling her story of her stalking, she is a member of the jury in a trial about another stalking victim and sees how poorly the court system treat another woman in a similar position. I would recommend avoiding this one if stalking or rape is a trigger, but otherwise this will have you questioning your own thoughts and reactions if you were in Clarissa’s shoes.c/o Edelweiss

Semi Charmed Winter Book Challenge

5 points: Freebie! Read any book that fits the general rules.The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

10 points: Read a book written by an author who has published at least 10 books.If I Stay by Gayle Forman

10 points: Read a book of short stories.A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

10 points: Read a book with a food in the title.The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street by Susan Jane Gilman

15 points: Read the first book in a series that is new to you (so no rereads for this one!)
Cinder by Marissa Meyer

15 points: Read a book that was originally written in a language that is not your native language.The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

15 points: Read a book written by a local author.Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

20 points: Read a “bookish book” (in which books play an important role.)
Miss Buncle’s Book by D.E. Stevenson

20 points: Read a book with a direction in the title (e.g. north, south, east, west or any combination of those).Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

25 points: Read a book from a genre you don’t usually read.
Delicious by Susan Mallery (Romance)

25 points: Read a book with a song lyric in the title. Be sure to tell us the song name and artist as well!The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

30 points: Read two books with a different meal in each title (e.g. breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, brunch).The Oakdale Dinner Club by Kim Moritsugu & Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson

wow the book of you sounds creepy as heck. i hope you enjoy the rosie project, i liked it very much – and I loved Cinder, well I loved the whole series. I read the girl with the dragon tattoo so many years ago I barely remember it, except that it was very good :) good luck with your 100 books challenge!

I loved Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the second one was slightly harder to get through, and I still haven’t finished the third one. But I think the first one stands on it’s own, so I hope you enjoy it. It was my first thought for that category, but I don’t really re-read books.

Haha, I think I may have bit off a bit more than I can chew, but then again I do have a couple of holiday breaks coming up from work… so we shall see! I’m excited to finally read Girl With a Dragon Tattoo, I’ve owned it for years!

I started Nest a couple of months ago, and really liked it, but got sidetracked and still need to finish it! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! Also, great picks for the book challenge! This one was definitely a bit harder than ones in the past, so I’m still working on my list!